Changing Tides
by Dawn Stone Slifer
Summary: 'And as long as he was here, she would be too; clinging to whatever happiness she could find with him. Just like everyone else was in this godforsaken city.' Yusei Fudo/OC
1. Chapter 1

_Hey, everyone. Dawn Stone Slifer here, with the first fic I've officially posted on FanFiction for over 2 years. My other account still has all of my old fics on it, but I thought I'd start fresh. _

_This was originally a Yusei X Reader fic (it can be found on dA account, AlyXWheatley4Ever) but since FanFiction doesn't accept Reader Inserts, I changed it to an OC. _

_And don't worry; you don't know anything about her, simply because there isn't anything to know. I made her up on the spot, to change the Reader insert parts. Although, I think I came up with the idea of Ash while I was writing a post-apocalyptic AU for 5D's a while ago...yeah..._

_Anyway, I hope you enjoy._

_~Dawn Stone Slifer~_

* * *

She was going to do it.

Those were the only words that echoed in her head as she stood on the edge of the docks, watching silently as the waves lapped hungrily at the concrete she stood on.

She stared out at the faint figure across the water; a large, grey mass that looked absolutely disgusting even from this distance.

She watched the smoke billowing from it, the slowly darkening skies, the half-finished bridge that had held so many hopes and dreams.

All of it was disgusting.

She hated it here, in the Satellite. Everything about this place made her feel rotten. The atmosphere, the decay. Even the people made her feel like giving up.

Which was exactly what she was doing. At first, she thought of swimming out to sea and seeing how close she could get to New Domino before her body gave up from exhaustion. But, to be fair, that idea wasn't the most appealing.

Just falling into the water and letting herself drift away into nothingness sounded a lot better.

"Ash."

She flinched slightly as a familiar voice met her ears, before relaxing. She should've known he would've come to find her sooner or later. Maybe she should've swam out when she had the chance.

"Hey, Yusei. What brings you here?"

Her voice was quiet, reserved. She heard his boots scuffing at the ground as he walked closer, before his jacket-clad form slumped next to her.

Yusei Fudo - one of her closest friends in all of the Satellite - dangled his feet over the concrete dock, matching her posture, with his body slumped forwards and his eyes staring straight out towards New Domino.

"What're you doing out here?" He asked, although she knew he already knew the reason. He wouldn't have been here, otherwise.

"Thinking about giving up."

She saw no reason to lie to him. The young man could read her like a book, so trying to convince him otherwise was a fool's errand.

"Giving up doesn't solve anything," he responded almost instantly, "it's just an easy fix to the problem."

"That's right. It's an easy fix. I wouldn't have to worry about anything any more," she found herself sending him a bitter smile, her words laced with the utter exhaustion and exasperation she felt.

"...How did you find me here, anyway?" She asked after he didn't respond, and he sighed heavily, lowering his gaze to his boots.

"Crow told me. He said he was worried about you."

"...Crow...figures...little bastard..." She muttered under her breath, tapping the backs of her shoes against the wall.

"He cares, Ash. We all care. Jack, Crow, Kalin and I; we don't want to see you like this. We know it's horrible here. Trust me, we know..."

His words didn't reach her. She'd heard them too many times. He knew it, too, for in the next moment, she felt his left arm wind around her shoulders, pulling her closer.

"...Hey, Ash?"

"What?" She whispered, refusing to look at the young man who held her so tenderly in his arms.

"I love you."

It didn't surprise her. He'd told her plenty of times how much he loved her.

"I love you, and I'm going to help you."

"Why?" She found herself responding quietly, "I don't need help. There's nothing wrong with me."

"You're right," he countered, "there isn't. You're perfect. But I'm still going to help you, anyway."

She went silent, knowing better than to argue with the man. After all, he'd never lied to her before.

And as long as he was here, she would be too; clinging to whatever happiness she could find with him. Just like everyone else was in this godforsaken city.

She found herself leaning her head against his shoulder, choosing to close her eyes and instead listen to the water lapping at the concrete beneath her.

"...Hey, Yusei?"

"Hm?"

"...I love you, too."


	2. Chapter 2

Things hadn't gotten easier.

A couple of years had passed since that fateful day at the docks, and everything had changed.

Kalin had been arrested, Jack had left the Satellite. Heck, even Crow had gone his own way; choosing to spend his time looking after the orphans instead.

Ash hated to admit it, but she was still around as well, although she hadn't completely gravitated away from her comfort. She lived in the subway with Yusei, Rally, and the other boys, and spent most of her time tailing the dark-haired man like a lost puppy.

The events that had unfolded over the past two years had rattled her to her core, and she knew that if she chose to leave Yusei and go her own way, she wouldn't see him again. She wouldn't be able to cope without him. She needed him, just like he needed her.

At least, that's what she told herself. To be honest, her mind was always telling her otherwise; muttering about how annoying she was and how he'd be better off without her.

She'd tried to leave more than a few times - after all, she was nothing more than a burden to him - but he'd always stopped her. Always wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. Always murmured about how important she was to him, and how he wouldn't let her go.

Always told her how much he loved her.

It worked as well, for a long time. His words would blind her; fill her with fake happiness that satisfied her for short, fleeting moments. But, after a while, those feelings began to dwindle. The more he said those words, the more fake they sounded. They were becoming overused, and when he said them, they no longer sounded genuine. It sounded like a recording was being replayed over and over again, telling her what she wanted to hear.

She spent a long time thinking about things after that, and would often choose to sit in solitude, rather than follow Yusei around. He'd picked up on it immediately, but hadn't said anything; he knew how prone she was to mood swings. He knew her too well.

But, as the days dragged on, he began to see that something was very wrong. She'd shut everyone out of her life, choosing to sit in one of the makeshift houses and stare into space for hours on end. She no longer helped him gather parts for his Duel Runner, she no longer stopped Rally from getting into trouble. She no longer cared.

He'd walked in on her one day, and sat down opposite her, not surprised when she didn't even acknowledge him. Her eyes were fixed on the makeshift walls in front of her; staring straight ahead, blank and lifeless.

He wanted to help. He'd promised her that, two years ago. When she'd threatened to kill herself, he'd promised her that he'd protect her, no matter what. He loved her, and he was going to help her.

What kind of man was he if he couldn't help her now? What kind of man was he if he broke that promise?

So he sat with her for hours, waiting for her. Waiting for something; anything that would hint that she was still there, still fighting.

He hadn't left her alone that night. He'd managed to snap her out of her blank state long enough for her to crawl into bed. He'd curled up beside her, his fingers tracing along the bare skin of her arm gently.

And he talked.

He talked about the old days; when Kalin and Jack and Crow were still around. He talked about his Duel Runner, and how close he was to finishing it. He talked about Rally and the others, about how worried they were about her.

He talked about anything and everything, and she had to admit, hearing his voice calmed her. It dulled the agonising pain into a sickly ache, and she found herself falling asleep listening to him that night.

It still didn't ease her mind of the poisonous thoughts that were flying around, though.

She was using him. Even in the beginning, she had been using him.

When things had been tough, she had automatically clung to Yusei, or any of the other guys, desperate for comfort. She had taken advantage of his kindness time and time again, and to be honest, it made her sick to her stomach.

She was disgusting. Just like the bustling, polluted city of New Domino that she'd looked out at so long ago.

Disgusting.

A monster like her didn't deserve Yusei's 'affection'. She didn't deserve anything.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey, everyone. I hope you enjoyed this short fic (who am I kidding it was horrible and angsty) and I hope you'll consider reading my other fics when I get around to posting them. _

_~Dawn Stone Slifer~_

* * *

Yusei sighed, staring out at a faint figure across the water; a large, grey mass that looking absolutely disgusting even from that distance.

He watched the smoke billowing from it, the slowly darkening skies, the half-finished bridge that had held so many hopes and dreams.

All of it was disgusting.

He finally understood what Ash had meant. Whenever she'd called New Domino disgusting, he hadn't known how to respond. Sure, the place was polluted and filled with rich snobs who hated the Satellite, but in the end, it had always been a beacon for a better future.

He'd always hoped that one day, he would get to go there, to start a whole new life. A life without suffering.

He'd been a fool.

"...Yusei."

The man turned his head slowly, watching as a blurry figure walked towards him.

"...Crow," he greeted, choosing to turn back to the city in the distance; his eyes settling on its' disgusting form once again.

He'd been so blind. Why had he once thought that it was beautiful? He didn't understand...

"...You can't keep dwelling on the past, y'know."

He hadn't even realised Crow had slumped down next to him, in the exact same spot he had when you had been sitting here.

"...I know," he answered quietly, looking down at his gloved hands. They were empty words. He'd never stop thinking about the past. What he could've done. What he could've said.

"...She's dead, Yusei. Ash's dead, and...I'm sorry, but she's not coming back..."

The words were like a dagger to his heart. He didn't want to hear them. Not now. Not ever.

He didn't want to hear about how he couldn't help her. He didn't want to hear about how he'd failed to see the agony she had been going through. He didn't want to hear about how she'd left him; so suddenly, slipping away from him, just like the waves lapping at the concrete of the docks.

"I know you're grieving. You were the closest to her...heck...you loved her...but this isn't what she'd want, Yusei. You know it isn't..."

Crow's words fell on deaf ears. He'd closed off his mind to the orange-haired man; choosing to instead stare straight ahead, towards the bustling, ugly city.

"...Look...I didn't want to have to say this, but...you're scaring us, man. You're scaring me."

That had made him turn. He glanced at Crow, his eyes confused.

"Why?"

"You...you're acting like Ash used to...back when she used to sit out here for hours and talk about drowning...it's like looking at her all over again..."

Another knife to his heart. He'd remembered that scene many times; he'd replayed it over and over again in his head. She'd talked about giving up then, as well. But he'd thought he'd made a difference back then. He thought he'd protected her.

But no. He'd lost her; lost her to the same waves that separated him from the ugly form of New Domino.

"...I'm fine," he murmured after a while, "...there's nothing wrong with me...I'm fine..."

Crow seemed to hesitate; his eyes made it very clear that he didn't believe the man in front of him, but he wasn't sure what else he could say.

"...Come back to the others, Yusei. They're all worried about you, man..."

"In a little while..." he responded instantly, and Crow took that as his queue to leave. He stood, patting the black-haired man's shoulder gently, before walking back towards Yusei's hideout.

Yusei's gaze once again settled on New Domino, and his lips pulled into a frown as he watched the smoke billowing out from it.

He hated it. He hated waking up and having to see it every day. He hated knowing that someone was always watching him, worrying about him. He hated having that sympathy.

Because, deep down, he blamed himself for what happened to her.

As far as he was concerned, he was the one who had killed her.


End file.
